Snakes in woodpile

[Nick Mystic]

Has anyone had much of a problem with snakes setting up shop in their woodpile? We live in western NC where copperheads are common and I usually kill a few each summer that get too close to the house. I have two dogs and one of them has been bit twice by copperheads and I'm not keen on getting bit myself. I generally do not like killing things if it can be avoided, but I think poisonous snakes near the house are just too big a threat to leave alone.

I've often thought that the woodpiles are likely places where such snakes would find as a good home, but until this past week I never actually encountered any in them. Last week I picked up a nice piece of an oak limb in the woods on the way home from a morning hike with our dogs, so I carried it home to throw on my woodpile. As I was sliding it into an opening I saw a copperhead buried in between some splits with his head just poking out. It was about six inches from where my hand was! I tried shoving a piece of pipe in between the splits to get him, but he disappeared in a flash. A few days later we finally had some sun, so I decided to flit off the tarp covered piece of plywood I have on the end stack that doesn't have a permanent roof over it. When I did, the copperhead was lying right on top of the wood. He slowly slithered into the stack before I could do anything. I went back about a half hour later with a hoe, my weapon of choice for snake killing, and he was back sunning himself. I was able to get a clean whack at him and dispatch him.

 

[weatherguy]

Mice love to make their home in wood piles, snakes like to eat mice, perfect recipe for attracting snakes. Ive seen some in mine but thank god we don't have copperheads, Ive seen milk snakes and garter snakes, nothing to fret about, I leave them to clean my wood pile of varmints.

 

[rideau]

My situation in So Ontario is the same a weatherguy's....common to see garter snakes in/on the piles, less common to see milk snakes....but nothing poisonous to worry about. I'm glad to have the snakes dispatching the inevitable mice.

I wouldn't be very happy to have poisonous snakes, but don't know any reasonable way to get rid of them other than your present method.

Wear heavy leather gloves and be careful is the only advice I have. Good luck.

 

[red oak]

I usually find a small snake or two, had a rather large black snake a few years back. Like others have said, the non-poisonous snakes are okay to have around for pest control, poisonous are another matter. I've never seen a poisonous snake around my piles, and I don't do anything special to keep them away - just lucky I guess.

 

[bogydave]

SNAKES !

No Snakes in ALASKA

 

[TradEddie]

I'm always expecting to find a snake in the woodpiles, but never have. I often find mice nests.

TE

 

[PapaDave]

Garter. I find skins too.

 

[Mr A]

Copperheads are poisonous? There are rattlesnakes in my area, I haven't seen any in the wood pile, I have rats. I wouldn't mind having some snakes in there too. Make a lot of noise, bang some splits on the pile. I'm not a snake expert but they will only strike if cornered or surprised.

 

[MrWhoopee]

I'm not a snake expert but they will only strike if cornered or surprised.

We're fortunate that rattlesnakes are like that, they will avoid you if at all possible. The same can't be said of some of the eastern poisonous snakes. Some can be downright aggressive. My only suggestion is to move up north or out west.

 

[Mr A]

We're fortunate that rattlesnakes are like that, they will avoid you if at all possible. The same can't be said of some of the eastern poisonous snakes. Some can be downright aggressive. My only suggestion is to move up north or out west.

Yea, I was curious and was just reading about copperheads. They strike first, ask questions later.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Some time ago I had contact with some NC residents and remember that they had asked me about snakes as it seems they had lots of them. In all the years of our wood burning, I've seen only one snake that I remember. That was a milk snake.

 

[TradEddie]

Copperheads are not poisonous, they are venomous. Not usually fatal, but they'd spoil your day.

TE

 

[Buckeye 2012]

Sprinkler pulverized moth balls and powered sulphur around your stack. You will never see a snake if you do.

 

[Hogwildz]

Around the house, yes. Around the wood pile, have not seen any there.

 

[wesessiah]

i've never found one in a wood pile, but occasionally do in brush piles close to the woods. the best investment for keeping them away is having cats. cats eat the mice, and the good ones kills the snakes. females are far better at the job too.

 

[Applesister]

I've heard moth balls does it too. Spread under the stacks.

 

[blades]

We have timber rattlers a a couple others in various parts of the state, Very rarely do any of these show up in my area. Brown recluse spiders and relatives are the worst threat right here, with Black Widows further south and west. Any of these spoil more than your day. Got nailed in Az many years ago, Diamond Back , do not want to go through that again.

 

[aansorge]

Snakes, scorpions, and black widows were a common part of my life in Texas. You learned to be cautious in your travels through the woods and whenever you picked something off the ground. I stumbled upon several rattlers, many moccasin, a copperhead, and one coral snake. I didn't avoid the woods, but you were constantly mildly aware.

Moving to Minnesota was a revelation. You mean I can walk through the woods and not worry about snakes? Cool! Mosquitos? More annoying in reality, but Deet works wonders most days.

 

[jdp1152]

Was mowing last weekend and saw two or three along the length of the stacks. No poisonous snakes here so I leave them be. Worry more about the ticks the mice have, but put tick tubes under the pallets to help. Spent a month and a half feeling like crap with coinfections of Lyme and babesiosis. I'd welcome any critter that helps keep blood sucking parasites away

 

[weatherguy]

i've never found one in a wood pile, but occasionally do in brush piles close to the woods. the best investment for keeping them away is having cats. cats eat the mice, and the good ones kills the snakes. females are far better at the job too.

One of our cats is great at taking care of all varmints but occasionally brings them into the house, he brought a still alive bird in that got away and flew around the living room until my wife caught it and let it go, another time he brought a live garter snake into the house and got bored with it and went back outside, I walked upstairs and see this snake slithering around my living room. I scooped it up and put it back outside.

 

[rideau]

Pray tell what are tick tubes?

 

[jdp1152]

Tick tubes are cardboard tubes with permethrin cotton balls in them. The mice take the cotton for their nests and it kills ticks for a few months.

 

[MrWhoopee]

Tick tubes are cardboard tubes with permethrin cotton balls in them. The mice take the cotton for their nests and it kills ticks for a few months.

Seems a little indirect, how about something that kills the mice?

 

[jdp1152]

I'm not keen on poisoning mammals in their natural environment. Too many other animals eat them. Insects and weeds are a different story.

 

[wesessiah]

One of our cats is great at taking care of all varmints but occasionally brings them into the house, he brought a still alive bird in that got away and flew around the living room until my wife caught it and let it go, another time he brought a live garter snake into the house and got bored with it and went back outside, I walked upstairs and see this snake slithering around my living room. I scooped it up and put it back outside.

oh man, i couldn't have it to where they have free access in and out. we have one cat that stays outside a lot, and we will let her in when she comes to the door and wants in. the other outdoor cat stays outside, but i think he may be dead since he's been gone for a month. the female makes sure her prey can't get away, her initial attack always disables it. if she's giving it as a gift to us, she kills it and leaves it on the porch.
edit: i should say if she's giving it to me, because she hisses at my wife if she goes near the gift, lol.